Adelaide coach Don Pyke is determined to leave a "disappointing" 2018 season behind and has revealed to members his simple focus for 2019: have fun and enjoy the journey.
Speaking at the Club’s Annual Members meeting on Thursday night, Pyke conceded the Crows “came up short” last year and that the team was “clearly disappointed.”
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But a strong pre-season, healthy list and a new team philosophy has the Adelaide coach excited about the upcoming season.
“When we returned to training, I had a really simple focus for our players,” Pyke said.
“I’ve always said people are the best at what they can do when they enjoy what they do.
“I said to them have fun, work hard and let’s enjoy the journey for however long it goes.
“There’s a short lifespan from an AFL footballer’s viewpoint of maybe 10-12 years. It’s a time in their life when they should love what you do.
“We lost a bit of love for it last year through circumstances.”
Although Adelaide struggled with injuries in 2018, Pyke said it did come with a silver lining.
“We saw the opportunity for new players to come in. Speaking of guys like Hugh Greenwood, Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Tom Doedee - who was runner-up in the rising star,” he said.
“Wayne Milera continues to come good and show the sort of player we think he’s going to be.”
The AFL has brought in several new rule changes for the 2019 season, including a 6-6-6 player set-up at centre bounces and a larger kick-in space for defenders following a behind.
Pyke told members the new 6-6-6 lineup would add “a new dimension” and that fans would see more “genuine one-v-one contests ahead of the ball.
“It’s going to be exciting for the fans and challenging for the backs, but for ourselves, with some high-quality, high-powered forwards, there’s some real opportunity there.”
